Bennett, Hooks, Lewis sign free agent deals

OXFORD – Three more former Ole Miss Rebels have been signed by NFL teams in recent days as they pursue careers in professional football.

After helping Ole Miss lead the nation in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and advance to one of the inaugural New Year’s Six bowl games, Bryon Bennett has been signed by the Dallas Cowboys, Lavon Hooks by the Green Bay Packers and Keith Lewis by the Denver Broncos.

Bennett is a 6-foot-2, 293-pound defensive lineman that played both tackle and end during his four-year Rebel career. The Madison, Mississippi, native finished his career with 53 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. He started 27 of 49 career games played in the Red and Blue.

Hooks, from Atlanta, Georgia, by way of Northeast Mississippi Community College, made 27 tackles with 9.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in his 24 games played as a Rebel. The 6-foot-3, 318-pound defensive tackle registered 6.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks during his senior campaign.

Lewis, a 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker from Tampa, Florida, made an appearance in all 51 games during his four years at Ole Miss. He racked up 105 tackles, 7.0 TFLs, a fumble recovery, two interceptions and three passes defended. His senior year saw him collect 49 tackles and 2.5 TFLs while helping the Rebels become of the nation’s most feared defensive units.